“Thanks, Mom. You and Dad made a perfect party.”
“Alexander seems to get along well with everyone. Your father was chatting with him about taking him to the company headquarters next week.”
Valentina felt a knot tighten in her stomach. Alexander was already accelerating his plans.
“How good,” she said, maintaining the smile.
When dinner began, Valentina sat at the head table with Alexander. He held her hand above the table, stroking it gently with his thumb. That gesture once would have made her melt. Now it irritated her more than she wanted to admit.
“You are gorgeous today,” Alexander whispered in her ear. “I can’t wait for our honeymoon.”
“Me neither,” she lied.
Fifteen days in Spain, a wedding gift from Richard for the newlyweds. Fifteen days alone with a man who only wanted to use her. The thought made her feel sick.
During dinner, Richard stood to give the first speech.
“Friends, family, thank you so much for being here on this very special day. Valentina has always been the light of our home, a sweet and intelligent girl who became a wonderful woman. Alexander, you are getting an incredible wife. And Valentina, you chose a good, hardworking man who clearly loves you very much.”
The guests applauded. Valentina smiled and nodded while Alexander stood and embraced his father-in-law.
“Thank you, Mr. Richard. I promise to take good care of Valentina, and I hope to learn a lot from you in the business. Who knows? Maybe I can help expand the family companies even more.”
Richard smiled, clearly pleased by the attitude of his new son-in-law. If only he knew.
When it was Alexander’s turn to speak, he stood and took the microphone.
“Everyone, I want to thank you all for being here today, especially Mr. Richard and Mrs. Patricia for receiving me as a son. Valentina, you have made me the happiest man in the world. I promise to spend the rest of my life making you smile.”
More lies, softer and better polished than before. Valentina applauded with everyone else while he bent to kiss her again.
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After the speeches, the music began. The first dance was to the song they had chosen together. Valentina remembered when they heard it for the first time, curled up on the couch in her living room. Alexander had said the lyrics were perfect for them. Now, dancing with him in the center of the ballroom with all eyes on them, she felt as if she were acting in a play.
“You’re tense,” Alexander whispered as they moved.
“Just nervous,” she answered. “There are so many people watching.”
“Relax. Everything is perfect. Our life is beginning.”
Our life. Valentina almost laughed at the irony.
When the song ended, other couples joined the dance floor. Valentina danced with her father, who was radiant.
“My princess, you made the right decision. Alexander is a good man.”
“Dad, can I ask you something?”
“Of course, daughter.”
“Do you really plan to involve him in the business?”
Richard slowed for a second.
“Why do you ask?”
“Curiosity. He seems very interested.”
“Well, now he’s family, and he seems to have good ideas. Why not?”
Valentina forced a smile.
“It just seems very fast to me.”
“Daughter, when you love someone, you want to include him in everything. It’s normal.”
If her father only knew that his son-in-law wanted inclusion for one reason only, to rob him.
After dancing with Richard, Valentina ended up dancing with Julian, who looked extremely uncomfortable.
“Julian, are you okay? You look nervous.”
“Ah, yes. I’m just not very good at parties.”
“How strange. You’ve always been extroverted.”
Julian avoided her eyes.
“Yeah. Maybe it’s just wedding nerves. The responsibility of being best man, you know.”
“I understand. It must be difficult when you know things you can’t tell.”
Julian nearly stumbled.
“How so?”
“Nothing specific. I just noticed that today you seem to be carrying some secret.”
“No. No, everything is normal.”
But his nerves were obvious. Valentina decided to push a little harder.
“Julian, you guys have been friends a long time, right?”
“Since school.”
“Tell me. Was he always like this?”
“Like what?”
“Ambitious. Interested in money. In progressing quickly.”
Julian stopped dancing and looked at her directly.
“Valentina, why are you asking that?”
“Just curiosity about my husband. I want to know him better through his friends.”
